‘Batman: The Knight’ explores how Bruce Wayne became Batman

The new miniseries from Chip Zdarsky and Carmine Di Giandomenico will show Bruce Wayne’s journey to becoming the Dark Knight.

Chip Zdarsky and Carmine Di Giandomenico will flesh out the origin of Batman in a new 10-issue series, titled Batman: The Knight.

The series sounds like it follows in the footsteps of the film Batman Begins, which showed Bruce Wayne on the path that would chart the way to him becoming Batman.

“Over the years readers have seen glimpses of this period of his life, but never as its own story, as a proper volume that will, hopefully, stand the test of time on the shelf next to the great markers of his big ol’ bat-journey,” Zdarsky said in his newsletter.

Continue reading “‘Batman: The Knight’ explores how Bruce Wayne became Batman”

Marz + Lim surf back to the past for ‘Silver Surfer: Rebirth’

Thanos, the original Captain Marvel and the Reality Gem will play a part in the new story set in the 1990s era.

Ron Marz and Ron Lim, who navigated the Silver Surfer through the spaceways in the early 1990s, will return to that era for Silver Surfer: Rebirth.

Much like X-Men: Legends and Symbiote Spider-Man, Marz and Lim will tell a story set in the past, one featuring the Reality Gem, Thanos and the original Captain Marvel.

“Turns out you can go home again,” Marz told Marvel.com. “Silver Surfer with Ron Lim was literally my first job in comics. The first comic page I ever wrote was drawn by Ron when we were both kids. And now three decades later we get to go back there and slip right back into that same groove. It’s so great to be wielding the power cosmic again.” 

Continue reading “Marz + Lim surf back to the past for ‘Silver Surfer: Rebirth’”

DC reveals Jonathan Kent is bisexual

The new Superman will share a kiss with another man in an issue coming out next month.

According to the New York Times and IGN, Jonathan Kent, the son of Superman who recently took over for his dad, is bisexual. He and Jay Nakamua will share a kiss in an issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El being published next month.

“The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity,” writer Tom Taylor told the New York Times. He said that a “new Superman had to have new fights — real world problems — that he could stand up to as one of the most powerful people in the world.”

Continue reading “DC reveals Jonathan Kent is bisexual”

‘Saga’ returns from hiatus in January

The award-winning series from Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples will return with a double-sized issue.

Saga will continue in January with issue #55, the first new issue from creators Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples since 2018.

“Other than my own family, collaborating with Fiona Staples on Saga is the most important thing in my life, so I can’t thank readers and retailers enough for their patience,” Vaughan said in a press release. “I think our next 54 issues will be even more shocking, strange and spectacular than the first 54, so we can’t wait to be back on the shelves at your local comic shop soon.”

The double-length issue of the award-winning series will clock in at 44 pages for $2.99, promising no “variant covers or gimmicky renumbering.”

Continue reading “‘Saga’ returns from hiatus in January”

Image announces new ‘Astro City,’ ‘Arrowsmith’ + more from Kurt Busiek

The publisher will reprint several older Busiek comics, as well as new series like ‘Free Agents.’ Plus, more ‘Autumnlands’!

Image Comics today has announced enough new Kurt Busiek projects to fill that empty space you’ve been saving on your bookshelf. In fact, you may need a bigger bookshelf …

Next year the publisher will launch new volumes of Astro City and Arrowsmith, as well as a new comic called Free Agents. Autumnlands, Busiek’s Image Comics series with artist Benjamin Dewey and Jordie Bellaire, will also return, and the publisher plans to release new editions of Shockrockets, The Wizard’s Tale and Superstar: As Seen on TV.

“I’m thrilled to be back at Image and glad to be working with Eric Stephenson and the whole crew here,” said Busiek. “Image is the best comics publisher for creator-owned work, so it’s very nice to be bringing my books together here, where they can be available as a group, supported by the team here—and sitting alongside such great series as Saga, The Walking Dead, Criminal, Savage Dragon and so many more. And not just because Image is only about 20 minutes from where I live, so I can actually drop by the place, once the pandemic is in the rearview. My creative partners and I are looking forward to a having a home for the work we’re doing now and lots of new ideas to come.”

Here’s a look at what to expect:

Continue reading “Image announces new ‘Astro City,’ ‘Arrowsmith’ + more from Kurt Busiek”

Steve Orlando takes the helm of ‘Marauders’ in January

Marauders Annual #1 will reveal a new team of mutants and the debut of a new threat, 2099 villain Brimstone Love.

A new team of Marauders will take to the seas in January courtesy of a new creative team. Steve Orlando and Creees Lee will introduce a new team and new threats in Marauders Annual #1 this Janaury.

“Taking the helm of Marauders is easily the most exciting moment of my career, especially when it’s my first-ever ongoing not just on Krakoa, but at Marvel in general,” Orlando told Marvel.com. “Exploding out of the team’s already-amazing adventures as part of Hellfire Trading, Captain Pryde’s new crew of Marauders will stop at nothing to bring endangered mutants to safety — to always go where they’re needed, not where they’re wanted. To mutant rescue, wherever it calls them!”

Continue reading “Steve Orlando takes the helm of ‘Marauders’ in January”

Comics Lowdown | Marvel creators suit, CEO’s legal wrangles

Catching up with the Marvel court case, plus the latest on Ike Perlmutter, Scott Adams and Ben Garrison.

Cover of Marvel-Verse Black Widow, showing the title character wielding a glowing sword.

Marvel: In case you haven’t had time to digest the news that Marvel has sued several creators who had taken legal action to get the rights to their characters back, here’s the scoop from The Hollywood Reporter. If you have access, the New York Times talks to the lawyers on both sides.

Meanwhile, Marvel chairman Ike Perlmutter has had a busy week. On Monday, the Military Times reports, the House Oversight Committee stated that Perlmutter and two others had “violated the law and sought to exert improper influence over government officials to further their own personal interests.” At the time, the three were “unofficial advisors” to Trump on Veterans Administration Affairs. Things went better for Perlmutter on Tuesday, when he succeeded in fending off a lawsuit by a neighbor, with whom he had quarreled over tennis courts, and who subsequently accused him of sending poison-pen letters to their neighbors and 1,000 prison inmates. If you like true-crime stories where all the crimes are petty misdemeanors, get comfy and settle in with THR’s coverage, which has plenty of links to the various tentacles of this story.

Continue reading “Comics Lowdown | Marvel creators suit, CEO’s legal wrangles”

Archie celebrates the holidays with ‘Archie’s Holiday Magic Special’

The anthology will feature stories by Micol Ostow, Michael Northrop, J. Torres, Gretel Lusky and more.

Archie and the gang will be simply having a wonderful Christmastime this December in the Archie’s Holiday Magic Special.

The anthology will feature three new stories by Micol Ostow, Michael Northrop, J. Torres, Gretel Lusky, Arielle Jovellanos, Dan Schoening and more. It’ll feature stories set in the worlds of “Little Archie” and “Life With Archie.”

“We were definitely inspired by the Archie reboot series from Mark Waid and Fiona Staples, and feel-good Hallmark movies for this fun and heartwarming anthology,” Archie’s Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante said. “We think it’s a perfect way to celebrate 80 years of Archie by taking a trip through different eras of Archie’s life as he ultimately rediscovers the importance of friendship and community during the holiday season.

Continue reading “Archie celebrates the holidays with ‘Archie’s Holiday Magic Special’”

‘Stray Dogs’ returns in December with ‘Dog Days’

Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner return to tell short stories about the characters introduced in ‘Stray Dogs.’

This December you’ll be able to learn more about the different canines who appeared in Image Comics’ recent Stray Dogs miniseries.

Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner’s litter of dogs — who also appeared in one of Image’s Free Comic Book Day titles this year — will return for a two-issue miniseries, Stray Dogs: Dog Days. It’ll feature short stories about each of the dogs.

Continue reading “‘Stray Dogs’ returns in December with ‘Dog Days’”

‘World of Krypton’ will feature Jor-El, catastrophe — and puppy Krypto

Robert Venditti and Michael Avon Oeming present stories about Krypton before the planet-wide cataclysm.

DC Comics has announced a new six-issue World of Krypton miniseries, focusing on Superman’s homeworld before the events that destroyed it and sent him rocketing into space.

Robert Venditti and Michael Avon Oeming will shine “new light on the famous characters of Krypton’s past—including Jor-El, General Dru-Zod and even a young Kara Zor-El,” aka Supergirl. They also promise an appearance by Krypto as a puppy.

Continue reading “‘World of Krypton’ will feature Jor-El, catastrophe — and puppy Krypto”

‘Shadows of the Bat’ will follow ‘Fear State’

DC Comics reveals more details on Mariko Tamaki and Ivan Reis’s ‘Detective Comics’ story that kicks off in January.

Although Fear State is just getting underway in the Batman titles, DC has already announced a story line that will follow in its wake, beginning in January — “Shadows of the Bat.”

The 12-week event will run though Detective Comics, beginning with a “prelude” story in the 2021 annual, which comes out in November. Then, in January, the story will continue in Detective Comics #1047 by Mariko Tamaki, Ivan Reis and Danny Miki.

Continue reading “‘Shadows of the Bat’ will follow ‘Fear State’”

Learn what Sabretooth’s been doing underneath Krakoa this January

“Whatever you think a Sabretooth story will be, this’ll be that plus *extra*.”

Author Victor LaValle, whose books include The Ecstatic, Big Machine, The Devil in Silver and The Changeling, will write a new Sabretooth series for Marvel that kicks off in January.

LaValle will team with artists Leonard Kirk and Rain Beredo to show readers what the mutant psychopath has been doing since being exiled to the “pit” underneath the island of Krakoa.

Continue reading “Learn what Sabretooth’s been doing underneath Krakoa this January”